Mets fans are joking about a curse after the team's losing streak started right after the mayor hugged the mascots

It started as a simple photo op. On April 9, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stopped by Citi Field for a ceremonial visit, smiling beside Mr. and Mrs. Met for a few quick pictures. Since then, the Mets haven't won a single game. Twelve straight losses later, fans aren't just frustrated-they're laughing through the pain, blaming the skid on what they're calling the 'Curse of the Mambino.'

The nickname is a cheeky nod to baseball history, riffing on the 'Curse of the Bambino'-the old superstition that haunted the Boston Red Sox after they sold Babe Ruth. Now, Mets fans are half-joking that Mamdani's mascot hug brought a similar fate. The team has collapsed in dramatic fashion during the streak, including a blown three-run lead in the ninth inning of a recent home game.

While no one seriously thinks a mayoral photo caused the losses, the timing has made it impossible to ignore. Social media is flooded with memes: Mamdani photoshopped into vintage baseball curses, fans wearing paper bags with 'Mambino Approved' scrawled across them, and mock headlines about city hall hexing the bullpen. Even neutral observers have picked up on the story, turning a losing streak into a shared cultural moment.

The team's performance issues are real. Pitching has been inconsistent, injuries have piled up, and the offense has gone cold at key moments. But in a city that loves both sports and spectacle, the narrative has shifted. The mayor's visit didn't cause the problems, but it's become the symbolic starting point-a convenient origin story for a season that's gone sideways.

Some fans have pointed out that Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, isn't exactly the traditional ballpark politician. His politics don't usually mix with baseball small talk, but now even critics are engaging in the joke. One conservative outlet compared the moment to the 'Obama sports curse,' a tongue-in-cheek idea from years ago that the former president brought bad luck to winning teams he praised.

Still, most New Yorkers seem to be taking it in stride. The 'Curse of the Mambino' isn't so much an attack on Mamdani as it is a coping mechanism-a way to laugh when the team can't get a win. And as long as baseball is played in Queens, these kinds of superstitions will always find a home in the bleachers.

Whether the Mets break the streak tomorrow or extend it to 13, one thing's clear: a simple hug has become part of the season's folklore. And in a city that thrives on stories, sometimes the best ones don't come from the scoreboard.